John and Angie Griffing with Emily, Lily and Sarah.

We usually think of firefighters as strong and healthy. John Griffing, Lodi firefighter, fits that image well. A healthy, active, 34-year-old father of three girls, diabetes was the last thing on his mind when symptoms appeared in 2008. A chance meeting with a friend saved his life.

“I was losing weight and always tired at work, and I was constantly thirsty. I have a busy life with two jobs and a family, so I just thought it was stress,” said John.

During the summer, John ran into a friend in a restaurant. When he complimented John on the weight loss but learned that it was unintentional, his friend started asking questions.

John said, “As it turned out, my friend had diabetes. He took out his glucose monitor, and my reading was 500—it should be under 100. I called Lodi Medical Clinic; they told me to come in immediately. Sure enough, I had diabetes and started medication. >>more